My 1999 Mazda 323 has rust bubbling through a rear wheel arch (result of a badly repaired scrape years back). I've been told by 2 bodyshops that if they simply grind out the rust, fill and paint, the rust will come back and that they need to cut out the affected metal or replace the panel completely. Quotes are between £250-£400 for the work.
I want to hang on to the car for at least 3 years. It's reliable (touch wood) and fairly cheap to run. It has various other scratches and dings that I'm not too bothered about but the rust bubbles concern me as they are slowly spreading round the wheel arch. Do I need to get this sorted - ie, will it lead to MOT failure down the line? Is there a cheaper way of sorting it that will prevent the rust coming back?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Pete
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{grumble, lost a long post}
Abbreviated - too expensive, try a small local garage rather than a proper bodyshop. Me, I'd have a go myself. You certainly have to cut out all the rotten metal. If it leaves sharp edges then that could be an MOT problem, normall far enough away from mounts to be a structural MOT failure.
Martin
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Hi Pete, I would brush off the dirt behind the wheelarch and smother the area with waterproof Castrol *LM* grease.
That will soak into the rust and hold off further deterioration. Better than wax alternatives IMHO for not hardening and continuing to soak into the rust.
Regards
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grind the rust out
fill hole with glass fibre soaked resin matting
finish with standard car filler
lots of paint up the back arch (anything will do) then cover in lots of spray on underseal
can of halfords primer on the outside
followed by halfords topcoat (mixed by them if not stocked)
cut and polish after a week
job done
cost £40
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I agree with this post. You could alternatively let it rust, and if the MOT man objects on the grounds of sharp edges, just take it up with ubiquitous grey waterproof tape, and leave it at that.
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Hang on, 1999? That's not very old!
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Bodged repair job.
I'd be inclined to let it go until it gets bad, then replace the wing with a pattern part. Should only cost about £200, and will outlive the car when it's done.
If you fix it, it WILL come back within a couple of years, regardless of what you do. Inevitable.
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Sorry, misread the post, didn't realise it was a rear quarter, I thought it was a front wing. Different story.
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Thanks for the suggestions - plenty to think about. I need to check: given that it's a wheelarch bubbling rather than anything 'structural' (a) will the MOT inspector be bothered (there's no issue around sharp edges - yet!)? (b) if I left it for another 12 months is the ongoing deterioration likely to make it significantly more expensive to sort out?
Thanks
Pete
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>>My 1999 Mazda 323 has rust bubbling through a rear wheel arch (result of a badly repaired scrape years back)
Question - did you own the car when it was scraped and do you know the name of your Ins Co?
My 2001 car was in a bump when 2 weeks old - it was repaired by Royal Sun Alliance @ their preferred bodyshop - at the time I wanted a Honda Bodyshop for the 6yr warranty - R&SA (More Than today) said they would cover the body repair for as long as I owned the car.
Last year rust came through on tailgate - after a bit of toing & froing they sent a Rep and 2 weeks later it was re-sprayed at their expense.
I am insured by E-sure (for 6 years) now but that did not make a difference. Now I believe you still have to be insuring with them if it is more than 3 years after the repair.
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Find a garage called " Bodgit & Scarper " and ask them to " Knockitinanfillit "
Then flogit .
Job done!
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